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During the Dog Days Character Comes Out

Hot as a dog, Scooby Doo ducked into an air-conditioned tent at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center yesterday, suffering from the same problems as everyone else at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic.

"It’s like you’re sweating a scorching-hot shower out there," said Joy DeLoach, 15, of Washington, a tournament volunteer who spent much of the day wearing a 12-pound Scooby Doo suit as part of a children’s promotion.

"I’m wearing this big rug, but this place is on fire, anyway," she said. "We all have to take deep breaths out here."

On a day when temperatures reached 102 degrees outside and 116 on the court, players, spectators and cartoon characters alike struggled to cope. But there were few problems. Those attending came prepared, and many stayed away.

Tournament officials announced Monday that ticket sales were up 10 percent from last year, but all uncovered stands—especially those made of aluminum—were nearly deserted yesterday. Although there were 4,399 tickets sold for the afternoon session, the crowd looked far smaller. Booths selling bottled water and frozen yogurt that were expected to do a brisk business had few patrons.

"What do you want them to do? It’s stinking hot out there, and it’s worse when you’re sitting," said Brad Gilbert, a two-time winner of this tournament who is coaching Andre Agassi. "I don’t blame them at all. It’s hard enough for us."

Only one player—Israel’s Oren Motevassel—has withdrawn because of the heat, as most competitors have been careful to rest and drink plenty of fluids, ATP trainer Bill Norris said.

Agassi Returns
About 1,000 tickets remain for tonight’s marquee match featuring third-seeded Andre Agassi, said tournament officials, who said they expect the match to be the first sellout this year. Agassi will be returning from a 70-day layoff caused by injury to face an old nemesis. Doug Flach, unseeded and ranked 174th in the world this week, ruined Agassi’s last Wimbledon appearance, beating him, 2-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, 7-6 (7-6), in 1996. Flach advanced to tonight’s second-round match with Agassi by defeating Cristiano Caratti of Italy, 6-2, 6-2. Agassi, ranked 31st, has a first-round bye in the Legg Mason and did not play at Wimbledon this year because of problems with the right wrist that was surgically repaired three years ago.

"It’s going to be a fun match, because the crowd will be into it behind Andre," said Flach. "I don’t know what to expect as far as tennis, because Andre hasn’t played in so long. But I’ve heard through the grapevine that he’s been practicing hard. He’s been here for days, and that should tell you something. That’s not typical Andre." . . .

Behind 3-0 in the second set against No. 11 seed Brett Steven, Luke Jensen tried to engineer a comeback with something out of a card game: a four of a kind. He rallied four straight aces past Steven to win the fourth game. His serves, three right-handed and one left-handed, were all faster than 90 mph. Jensen, the only ambidextrous player on the ATP Tour, still lost the match, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

© Copyright 1997 The Washington Post Company

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